Contraction joint



July 6 1926. 1,591,803

B. BRIODY OOOOOOOOOOOOOO NT Patented July 6, 192..

rent a.

BERNARD BRIODY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TRUSOON STEEL COMPANY,OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CON TRACTION JOINT.

Application filed July 9,

This invention relates to the construction of com-rote roadways,particularly to those provided with metal strips for the purpose offorming contraction joints, and the object of this invention is toprovide means for connecting the ends of alined strips.

A further object of this invention is to 'irovidc removable meansadapted to be mounted on the tops of the dividing strips for the purposeof forming narrow troughs in the'concrete roadway adapted to receive taror asbestos.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan of a section of roadway.Fig. 2 is a perspective of two ends of a dividing strip joined with myimproved connector. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a section. of concrete roadway on the line 4;4 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

In order to make sure that concrete roadways 1 will crack along straightlines when the plastic mass contracts or when it is displaced verticallyby frost, strips 2 of sheet metal are embedded therein to act as dividers to locate the cracks. edges of roadwayslabs may be caused to riseand fall together by forming these strips with longitudinal channels 3which extend into and receive similarly formed portions of the adjacentslabs. The strips are formed with holes 4; in the walls of the rhannelsto receive supporting stakes to hold the strips in posit-ion while theconcrete is being placed and with other holes 5 to receive transversereinforcements for the slabs, I

The adjacent ends of two strips 2 may be kept in alinement by aconnector comprising the plate 6 having struck-up tongues 7 so spacedfrom the plane of the plate as to just admit the ends of the strips. The

The adjacent 1924. Serial No. 724,945.

width of these strips is preferably a little I mg strips, the tops ofthese cap strips being even with the finished upper surface of theroadway. This cap strip is left in as long as possible before beingremoved, but it must be taken out before the concrete has setsufliciently to prevent its removal, The space thus left is thenfilledwith a lastic mass 9, such as asphalt or tar, whic revents theedges of the concrete from cliipping. The connectors 6 hold the dividingstrips in alinement so that the cap strips may be readily fittedthereto.

These contraction joints are not intended to prevent a roadway fromcracking, but they do cause the cracks to occur along straight lines andthe slight spaces thus formed are filled by the plastic material 9.

I claim 1. Ina concrete roadway, alined channelshaped strips adapted tobe embedded end to end therein for the purpose of forming a contractionjoint, and means connecting the ends of adjacent strips comprising aplate adapted to lie on one side of each strip within the channelthereof and supported by the lower wall of the channel and struck-uptongues adapted to lie on the opposite side of each 'such strip, saidtongues extending in opposite directions from the middle of the plate.

2. Means for alineing the adjacent ends of strips adapted to be embeddedin concrete roadways to produce contraction joints, comprising a metalplate provided with tongues at both ends lying on opposite sides of theadjacent ends of the strips.

BERNARD nnronr

